Definition

A list of people or organizations that are not approved of and may be avoided or punished.

Example

The company decided to put several vendors on the blacklist due to their unethical practices.

Conversation

Did you hear that they put the company on the blacklist?

Yeah, I saw that. It's such a shame since they used to be so reliable.

I wonder what happened to make them end up on that list.

Probably some serious issues; it's hard to get off a blacklist once you're on it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

To put someone or something on a list of people or things that are to be avoided or punished.

Example

The company decided to blacklist the employee for leaking confidential information.

Tense Forms

Conversation

Did you hear they decided to blacklist that company for unethical practices?

Yeah, I read about that! It's about time someone took action.

I wonder how many other companies should be blacklisted for similar reasons.

Root Explanation

Blacklist → It is formed from "black" (from Old English "blæc", meaning dark or without light) and "list" (from Old English "liste", meaning a series or enumeration). The word "blacklist" refers to a list of individuals or entities that are being shunned or excluded, often due to disapproval or suspicion.

Memory Tip

Think of 'black' meaning dark and 'list' as a series of names — a blacklist is a series of names that are darkened by disapproval.

Visually Confused Words